Eddie Howe responds as Newcastle United linked with £2m star deal amid double contract decision

Eddie Howe has refused to entertain speculation linking Newcastle United with a move for a goalkeeper this summer.

As it stands, two of Newcastle’s four senior goalkeepers, Mark Gillespie and Loris Karius, are out of contract at the end of the campaign with the latter already hinting at a switch to Italy where his young family are based.

Nick Pope remains the Magpies’ No.1, although those duties have fallen to Martin Dubravka in recent months after Pope required surgery on a dislocated shoulder at the beginning of December.

Once then England international returns - which is expected to be near the end of April - Dubravka will revert back to his No.2 role. And that makes his future is slightly uncertain with the 35-year-old still holding aspirations of being first choice.

As per the Daily Telegraph, Howe’s side are in the a market for a back-up goalkeeper with Middlesbrough’s Seny Dieng viewed as a potential option.

But when the goalkeeper links were put to Howe, he replied: “I've got no idea with the players we've been linked with. Lee [Newcastle’s head of media] does run a few names by me and some I don't even know. I wouldn't read too much into that.”

As well as Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town, plus La Liga side Sevilla have been linked with Dieng, who joined Boro from QPR last summer for around £2million

On the speculation, Boro boss Michael Carrick said: “That’s (the speculation over Dieng) the nature of the beast. I don’t take too much interest in anything like that.

“We know the squad we’ve got, the players we’ve got and what they’re capable of. In terms of who is linked with who and what’s going on, it doesn’t bother me.”